Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1887-03-10

IA Snsile PAL Is OF the country, OUT III suCn
corrupt form as to render the acceptance
of Mahommet,s scheme easy, because il
accorded with the corruption that exist
"a among the priests and the whole pei
pie.
Such vas the condition when Mahom-
met, or Mohammed. that most extraordi-
nary aud successful imposter appeared
He vas born at Mecca in the wear 500 Of
the christian era, and WIS man of no
e1lucatiou, but of wonderful natural tai
ent. In COS, when 10 years OF age, he
pretended to have received a divine
Commission TO propagate new religion.
He Withdrew 10 place OF retirement
where he affirmed that he held confer
erec with the Angel Gabriel. These dis
courses were collected into volume cali
ed the Koran or Alcoran, which is the
Mahometan bible of to-day. Mahomet
performed no miracles, but Appealed
chiefly TO the excellence of the doctrine
contained in the Koran and 70 the ele-
gance of its style, as proof of its inspira-
ton.
The two leading doctrines Of his reli-
gion we're these: There is but one God
and Mahomet is his prophet" He taught
that others. at various times, rs Abraham
Moses and Jesus Christ, had been divine
" commissioned to teach mankind; but
that he, himself, was the last and greatest
Of the prophets. He adopted much of
tie morality of the Gospel and retained
many Of the rites of Judeism and some
If the arabian supeistitions, particularly
pilgrimage to Mecca. But he owed his
success in great measure, to his allowing
ais followers great latitude in licentious
indnigences, and TO his promising them,
as their future reward, paradise of sem
sual pleasures.
He propagated his religion by the
sword, stimulating the courage Of has fol-
lowers by Inculcaling the strictest predes-
tinarispism or fstalism, and aroused their
enthusiasm by the assurance Of martyrs
coxn To every one who should fall in
battle. 1t VAS inculcated as fundamen-
tai doctrine, that ITO fight for the faith
vas an act of Obedience TO Cod" hence
the Mahometsns of saraeens ienominat-
cd their ferocious and bloody ravages IS
HOLY WARS. They term their religion
Islam or islamlsm; and call themselves
Musseinans or MusienIs, that is, true be-
tievers OF orthadox The standard of
lslem is banner supposed 10 have been
eonsecrated by Mohamet himself and is
never unfurled in any war unless the
;aith is threatened. Our readers will re-
member that there was a great deal of
talk, during the late Russia-Turkan war,
about the unfarling of this banner by the
Turks, but before the day set apart for
Inaugurating the HOLY WAR arrived. Eng
laid. Germany, France and other Euro-
pecn powers interferred ana patched up
i peace between the tao powers. Had
this not been done, the standard of Islem
onid have been unfurIei and a war,
unparalleled IN the history Of the world,
i0r savage ierocity and RELENTLESS cruelty,
would have beea the result.
Maholnmet in the beginning of his eff
iarts, had bur little success in making
pfoselyies The first converts were his
size, slave, cousin and son- in law, the IA
NOUS ali. ard his fatlIer-iu-.aw, Abubech-
er. who was man of influence. These,
oEetheT with fen others, were all when
he had persuaded TO acknowledge the
tiuth of his mission at the end Of three
years.
A popular iumult having been raised
agairst him at Mecca, he was compelled
10 fly into Medina for his life. HIS fight
or Hegfa is the Mohammedan. era, cor
responding to the year A. D. 622 Here
he found rapid accessions 10 his faith, and
was carried into Medina by 500 OF its rich
citizens, where heassumed the saeredotaI
or regal office. He soon placed hirrse,f
at the head of an army Of his converts
and soon began to propagate his religion
by the sword. Having defeated his en-
emies, he entered his native city Of Nee
ca in 629 as triumphant, eunquorer. He
fought in person. nine battles. subdued
an Arabia, extended his conquests into
syrla, and after career of victory, died
at Medina, at the age OF 63, ten years af-
fer his fight from Mecca to that city.
Mahoniet affected the most rigid aus
tersy and the most ostentatious piety, and
the is described as a perfect model If
Arabian virtue, brave and liberal, eloquent
and vigorous. noble and simple in all his
dealings, and of irreproachable morals.
This is the fair side of his character por-
trsyed by his followers; but ON the other
hand he is represented as indulsiny in
the grossest sensusl.ty, with never hav-
ing hesitated to make use Of the worst
passions OF Lis followers for the advance
Ieut Of bis purposes, and with having
had frequent recourse, in the progress of
his eonquests. 10 the most wsnton cruel
ty and basest perfdy-immoveabl as a
a rock 10 the cry of mercy or humanity.
In Syria, the very wantvnness of cruelty
S-aNs eeeNs--ta tHC pko-s Noe Va htc NtCloIi-
Gus legions. Whole districts were depop-
ulated by fire and sword. the aged totter-
ing on the brink Of the grave. the infant
at the breast, were alike brusally muir
dered; the women turned over to the
soidiery to suffer indignities, recital of
which would I'll the sot,l with sickening
horrer-ali because they were unwilling
10 accept Nabomet as the true pronhes
Of God. lie would brook no opposition,
AMI death WAS the sure portion Of all in
the conquered provinces, who did not an
reseryedly accept him and his religious
doglnas. His successors were equally
ruthless in propagating this fanatieissn-
OF all the Arabs the Saracens were the
most active and implacable, and to their
efferis may be attributed the fact that
the Mahommedan religion numbers
among its followers more than one-ihlrd
Of the human family
We shall have something to say Of the
Saracens IN the future. Ii is TO THEN val
igr, under the leadership al the celebra-
ted Ssladdin, thar may lie attributed the
unufsputed possession of jerusalem by
the followers Of Isiem, since the DAYS of